


Coincidence or Fate

by Laliseuse



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 21:16:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5106029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laliseuse/pseuds/Laliseuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is what Nino's life was now, working at a 7-Eleven when Ohno Satoshi from V6 walks in and forces Nino to reconnect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coincidence or Fate

**Author's Note:**

> This is un-beta'd and a work of fiction. I might have some basic knowledge of how 7-Eleven in Japan look but no idea on divorce/work hire. Nino/OC is only a brief mention of a past relationship. This was story I wrote in about a week, that was supposed to be one scene and somehow turned into a 8k story.

It was pure coincidence. 

And with hindsight, Nino should have really bought a lottery ticket that night.

It was halfway through his fourth night shift at the 7-Eleven when the automatic opened with the swoosh noise he was just getting used to. 

“Welcome!” Nino greeted, keeping his attention on finishing to fill the donuts rack next to the counter. He glanced briefly at the lone man who just entered the store, a man with a hat and a mask who made a beeline to the drink section in the back.

Nino’s co-worker was on his lunch break, had been for the past 5 minutes or so in the little break room in the back where they usually counted money at the end of their shift. If Nino needed help, he just needed to shout but there had been only three customers in the last hour so it was unlikely Nino would actually need any help. 

It wasn’t like this job was hard. 

Nino keep glancing to his lone customer and the window, it had started pouring when his shift started which might explain why there were so few people out and about at almost 2 o’clock in the morning. Considering it was a Wednesday night, most clubs and restaurant were probably closed already at that time. Meaning his lone customer might actually linger for hours until the train started back up. 

So, no reading magazines for free and munching on snack; he would actually have to pretend to work.

Well, Nino did have a laundry list of mindless tasks left by the day manager so it wasn’t hard to find something to occupy his time until his shift ended. He might just as well, he couldn’t get fired again. 

A couple of guys walked in to buy snacks, chatting away about the group date they were going to that weekend. They were wearing construction outfits, probably part of the same team that Nino passed by on his way to work earlier. 

His co-worker made his way to join him behind the counter. He kept giving jerky glances to the lone customer before moving closer to Nino.

“Hey! Nino-san!” 

Nino stopped wiping the counter and starred at the 19 year old, trying to look not as annoyed as he felt. After all, the younger man had work seniority despite the fact that Nino was a good 13 years older chronologically. 

“I think the guy in the back is famous.” 

Nino’s eyes flickered to the back before landing on the name tag on his co-worker’s shirt. 

“Komura-san… it’s just a guy with a cold. He probably missed the last train.” Nino said knowing that he was sounding patronizing but he couldn’t help it. Everyone was hallucinating celebrities these days just for a chance at brag about seeing one and the possible blurry selfie to show on Twitter or Line.

“No, I’m pretty sure he’s one of those guys, you know… my girlfriend used to love them. V6!” Komura snapped his fingers when he figured out the name of the band. 

Chills went down on Nino’s back. He nervously looked at the back of the store where the man was too far away to have heard them but… could it be? 

“I have to text her! She’ll never believe that I got so close to a Johnny.” Komura went on, taking his smartphone from his pocket, the one that the manager had asked that they keep locked away in their tiny locker in the back. 

Nino’s stomach churned painfully. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything. The irony was that Komura had already been in close proximity to a Johnny.

Well, former Johnny, since 1999.

Nino had been one of V6’s back dancer probably while Komura had still been in his diapers. Before he quit the idol world with his head held high and even grander dreams.

“Oh, I think he’s ready to pay. Do you mind if I take care of him? I will be able to tell it to my girlfriend.” Komura said excited, he didn’t have to ask. Nino stepped away from the cash to hide behind the donut tray, trying to calm his nerves. He left more than 15 years ago, there was little chance that someone from V6 would be coming in a 7-Eleven in the middle of nowhere. 

The man took his time walking up the aisle, with an energy drink in one hand and a discounted onigiri in the other. But as he came closer, Nino recognize the signs that Komura was probably missing; the overly dyed and coiffed hair peaking from under his hat, the extremely expensive coat and American baseball hat that was surely bought overseas, the one shade too dark foundation that was only starting to come off against the collar of his coat. 

But beyond that, under his hat, heavy coat and mask covering most of his face, Nino still had the ability to tell that this was Ohno Satoshi, the youngest member of V6. 

“Hello, have you found everything you were looking for today, sir?” Komura asked turning into a perfect employee for the sake of the encounter.

Ohno just nodded once before putting his purchase on the counter. 

“Have you had a lovely night so far, sir?” Komura asked as he scanned both items in an effort to get his customer to speak anything. Nino rolled his eyes before moving closer to the cash, ready to intervene in case Komura would start to be unbearable. 

Ohno met Nino’s eyes, clearly amused. He extended a 500 yen coin that he put in the small blue rubber tray and waited for Komura to give him his 50 yen change. Ohno bowed in thanks and left the store in the same low pace. 

“He looked so cool! That was totally Okada from V6! I’m texting my girlfriend.” Komura said already typing on his phone.

Nino opened his mouth to correct Komura but it was opening a can of worms that he didn’t want to explain. He made the mental note to hide if Komura’s girlfriend ever showed up. Just in case. 

Not that he was expecting to come back to this particular konbini, the district manager had hired him as a floater to cover the hard night shifts that they had trouble finding staff for. 

Komura’s phone rang and after a few seconds he gestured that he was going in the back, it looked like he had woken up his girlfriend and she was not happy about it. Nino nodded, trying to ease the tension that had built up in his shoulders and back. It didn’t help that his wrist hurt like a bitch whenever it was raining. He had taken pills before his shift but he had a feeling that it was wearing off. 

The automatic doors swooshed open again but Nino’s automatic greeting stayed stuck in his throat.

Ohno was walking back inside the store, making a beeline to the counter where Nino was. 

“Can I help you?” Nino managed to say, tearing his eyes away from Ohno to see if something had been dropped or forgotten. 

Ohno stood for a few seconds just looking at him. Nino shifted uncomfortably where he stood, not sure if he should say anything else. 

“Do I know you?” Ohno finally asked, pulling his mask off his face. 

“Aren’t you the one who usually get those kind of questions?” Nino asked instead, throwing a look at the back to see if Komura would step out or not. 

“You look really familiar.” Ohno commented, stepping even closer as if that would trigger his memory. 

“You’re probably mistaken.” Nino lied, taking the easier, quicker route to make Ohno leave before Komura came back.

Because this was his life now, worried about the opinion of a 19 years because he was deadly afraid that it meant he would lose the only job paying his rent of his shoebox apartment.

“Nino?” Ohno asked sounding amazed to have made the correct guess. Nino sighed and closed his eyes for a second. 

Of course, out of the dozen of juniors that danced behind V6, Ohno, who was famous for not knowing where he was half of the time, remembered the one junior he hadn’t seen in 15 years. 

But, that was Nino lying to himself. 

“I’m sorry.” Nino said, knowing that it was hard to pretend to be someone else when his nametag was pinned to his chest for all to see.

“What time does your shift ends?” Ohno asked instead, surprising Nino. 

“3am.” Nino answered on autopilot. Ohno nodded once before putting back his mask and walking out of the door once more just as Komura left the backroom. 

“Was that him? What did he want?” Komura asked rushing to Nino’s side. 

“He asked for the time. But I don’t think he was famous.” Nino lied, putting his best poker face. It shouldn’t be too hard, he had been a professional actor once. 

A lifetime ago. 

The next hour passed incredibly slowly even if Nino was doing every little stupid task to distract himself from seeing Ohno in person again. 

It deemed impossible, Komura had left him alone and for once Nino wished he wouldn’t. All he could think of is how many bridges he had burned in his quest to distance himself from the idol world. 

Thinking of Ohno was also bringing back memories he usually kept under lock and key; of stage plays and rehearsals and insanely long dance practice where the only saving grace was goofing off next to Yuki and Aiba. 

Just thinking of Aiba-chan sent stabbing pangs of guilt in his gut. But he was just torturing himself. 

His relationship with Ohno had been weird to most; the famous junior who would advise the debuted idol, it made sense to the both of them. They both felt like outsiders in the agency. But like most things, it ended shortly after Nino handed personally his resignation with Sakurai Sho to Johnny. Despite the rumours that they would get their own band, somewhat confirmed by Johnny in his bargaining speech to them, Nino and Sho had bowed in sync as they officially left the agency. 

Komura prodded him to cash out since his replacement would show up at 4am and since they hadn’t had a customer in 45 minutes, Komura refused Nino’s proposal to work an extra hour. 

“You can go home Ninomiya-san.” Komura said as he wiped the floor in the first aisle. 

Nino waved at him and started to walk towards the train station. It wouldn’t open for another hour but the fresh air would do him good.

He didn’t realise that someone was calling out his name until he was a block away from the konbini. Nino turned around to see Ohno half jogging to reach him. 

“Nino! I was waiting for you.” Ohno said breathlessly. He pulled the mask away.

Nino was pulled deep in his memory of waiting for Ohno to change so they could get ramen before a concert when it was still possible for a member of V6 to walk around his fans in public. 

“What are you doing here?” Nino asked, Ohno looked like he had been waiting outside for a while, the tip of his nose was red.

“Told you, waiting for you. I wanted to catch up. How are you?” Ohno said, he wasn’t known to be a chatterbox on variety shows, many would be shock at him speaking more than three words in a row but Nino always knew him better than most. 

“Fine. Perfect. I now enjoy working night shift at 7-Eleven.” Nino said sarcastically, Ohno couldn’t be that oblivious, could he?

“Oh.” 

“Sorry to have made you wait for nothing. Have a good night.” Nino answered bitterly, knowing his words were a result of years of pent up frustration and the way his life had been self-destructing in the past two years. 

“Wait! Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” Ohno asked again. 

“Ohno Satoshi of V6 wants to talk to unknown member of the public?” Nino knew he was being petty but he felt so unbalanced right now. 

“If said member is named Ninomiya Kazunari, then yes.” Ohno sounded serious, like he had been when he was doubting everything when he debuted with V6 and he would call Nino just to have someone to help him make sense of things. 

“There’s a karaoke club that’s open all night just around the corner.” Nino said, feeling his resolved slip from his fingers. He shoved his hands in his coat’s pockets and started walking in the opposite direction. Ohno followed without a word, falling in step within minutes. 

It was too easy to fall back and imagine what ifs, what if he stayed, what if Morita Go hadn’t left at the last minute because he was caught underage drinking… too many what ifs that had plagued Nino in the past 2 years that had kept him up at night, held him back. 

He pushed the door of the place he had seen a few times before, he started to climb the stairs and looked around to see the entrance of the karaoke club at the end of the hallway. He could hear the bass playing loudly in one of the room.

"You're paying." Nino ordered "I don't make money of uchiwas with my face on it anymore." 

"Well..." Ohno lingered in the hallway.

"What?" Nino turned to look at him. 

"I forgot my wallet at home." Ohno looked sheepishly, rubbing one of his hand against the back of his neck.

"Is that why you are stranded in the middle of fuckwhere hanging out in 7-Eleven?" Nino tried to keep in annoyance to a minimum, it was so typical of Ohno to forget his wallet, his phone, or his keys. 

"Yes." Ohno said slowly, like he had no other option. 

"Yeah, you are still the same. I will pay if you find a way to pay me back." Nino countered, hating that he wasn’t a cheapskate by choice. 

“Sure.” Ohno said, Nino was almost surprise how easy it was to convince him. They had bantered about it so much when they were younger, Nino trying to get his senior to pay for him and Ohno being a spoiled brat and refusing. 

Ohno slipped the mask back on before entering, letting Nino pay and ask for the room. Nino ordered two beers from the clerk who handed him the bottled beers and microphones.

“It’s the only one you get.” Nino warned as he handed it off to him, following the clerk to their room. 

Ohno waited for the clerk to leave and close the door behind him to remove his hat and mask. He sat heavily on the couch, dropping the microphone on the table and keeping the beer in his hands. 

Nino fiddled with the system, flickering the screen through the artists and most popular songs that it was showing. 

"You probably want to know my sob life story." Nino broke the ice. 

"Only if you want." Ohno said softly, he seemed content to just be there. But, it was odd for Ohno to not be curious. 

"What does that mean?" Nino asked, his eyes narrowing, watching every details passing on Ohno’s face. 

"That you can say as little or as much as you want." Ohno tried to act as casual as he could but Ohno could see right through him. 

"What do you already know?" Nino sighed and walked to the couch. It was obvious now that he was not the mystery he thought he was. 

"A few things. You stayed in touch with Sakurai Sho and Kohara Yuki for a while." 

"How do you know that?" Nino’s throat was tight, he kept his faze on his hands, trying to calm himself. He knew he would have to stop running at one point. 

"I did a few drama with Matsujun and Ikuta-kun. I think Matsujun kept in touch with Sakurai-kun. Or they crossed paths recently? One of the two."

Nino suddenly remembered his argument with Yuki and him yelling that he would have a lot more friends if he wasn’t holding pointless grudges. 

"I worked a few places. The one I stayed the longest was for a card greeting company in the administration department. Nothing glamorous. I really wasn't motivated, all I wanted to do was making music on the weekend. Then I met a girl, a temp, she fell for me and I guess I fell for her. She was more ambitious then I was. I asked to marry her when we thought that she was pregnant because it was the right thing to do. But, she kept nagging me to be better, to be more successful, and be a manager. When I lost that job, she kept going on about selling my grandfather business. I refused, I mean my grandfather is still alive and it’s still his. We divorced. Well, that actually was only official last year. Looking back, I am just glad that there wasn’t a kid, you know."

Ohno nodded. Nino drank half of his beer in one go.

"What about you? Heard all sort of crazy threesome stories in the tabloid." He had kept up with some of his former colleagues. Especially now that he had to stare at the magazine for his work. 

"You are forgetting that I am supposed to have a few illegitimate kids." Ohno smiled bitterly at that, he clinked his beer in a cheer with Nino’s bottle.

"Wasn’t one just before I left?" Nino remembered the texts and phone calls from Ohno complaining about the PR and managers’ meeting over this rumour. 

"Yes, that I put a girl pregnant at 17 and that I had a three years old son stashed somewhere."

"Ah yes, I remember you at 17." Nino could easily picture Ohno with long bangs falling over his eyes, quite a change from the short hairstyles he had the past few years. 

"I... I am not sure I could have survived the first few years of V6 if it wasn’t for you." Ohno confessed.

Nino starred at him.

"I want you to know I was really grateful for everything. All the pep talk and the encouragements, I mean it." Ohno looked like he was a few seconds from crying. 

"I didn’t do anything, it was all you. I always knew you were good. Hell, everybody knew. No one was surprised that you debuted within your first year." Nino didn’t know what else to say. 

"Okada debuted in three months." Ohno pointed out, stating it at loud more than sounding jealous.

"How are your bandmates? How are they treating you?" Nino knew that they were an age gap with the three oldest members.

"It’s good. We get all along fine..." Ohno didn’t sound incredibly convincing. 

"But?" Nino prompted, 

"We’re during our anniversary year, you know. So it’s all archive footage and old songs. Sometimes when we do retrospective, I get the feeling that they wished Morita Go had stayed."

"Well, you had to step in with two week notice. And it wasn’t your fault he left." Nino wasn’t sure how to respond to that one. It must hurt to feel like you still haven’t had your place in the world despite working at it for 20 years. 

"I guess." 

"But things are going well. You guys are still really popular." At this point, Nino was just talking to keep Ohno from sliding into inertia. 

"Yeah."

Nino, annoyed, poked Ohno’s side to get him back from his short answers. Ohno squirmed and poked back starting a quick wrestling match that Nino immediately won. 

"How about you be useful and sing." Nino ordered trying to keep the atmosphere light. 

Nino handed Ohno one of the microphone and quickly selected an old song. Something from Shonentai they would rehearse during practice when they were younger. 

After a few fumbles in lyrics they managed a decent harmony that the karaoke machine even agreed giving them a good score.

“Why did you quit?” Ohno asked, leaning his head against the back of the couch without much preamble. 

“I didn’t want to debut. I didn’t want to be… just that.” Nino had been expecting the question but he still couldn’t explain it properly even if it had been 15 years. 

“Like me.”

“No, you were meant for the stage. But, I knew that I was going to make it. MAIN wasn’t ever going to debut. They kept talking about who would be the next group and it just… it would have never happened." Nino countered, he still could see the scribbles on Johnny-san’s desk with all the kanjis crossed out but one, the lists with his name on it. 

“Toma and Matsujun did.” Ohno pointed out, but no one had told him that Toma was nowhere on those lists. He got through from sheer stubbornness, him and Matsujun both. After all, so many had quit after. Aiba had a few years after Nino and Sho did. 

“As actor, yeah. After the clusterfuck that happened with NewS. How many are there now? Two out of 9?” 

“They’re still four.” Ohno said amused that Nino was aware of them.

“Oh? Are you a good senpai to them?” Nino teased, Ohno used to hate taking out juniors anywhere for the single fact that he had to be the one paying for the meal. Nino had been the exception but mostly because they played rock-paper-scissor most of the time when they received the receipt. 

“Shige-kun comes fishing with me. He’s a good kid. He reminds me of you sometimes.” 

“How?” Nino was trying to picture which one it was, he was not overly familiar with them.

“He just does.” Ohno shrugged and lifted his head to drink the last few drops of his beer. 

“Do you keep in touch with anyone?” Ohno asked after a moment, Nino had expected him to ask but still found it stupid considering that Ohno should have already have known he didn’t. 

“No. I sent a congratulation message to Kanjani when they debuted. Not sure if they even got it. I sent it to the agency but I never heard back. Not that it really matter, they deserved to debut.” Nino had exchanged emails with Yoko and Hina for a while until they got insanely busy with their debut. 

“Well, you changed your number often, so no one had it anymore.” 

“What do you mean?” It sounded like Ohno had asked around for him, but when was this?

“When Toma was officially debuted, a few years after Jun-kun, there was a party.” Ohno’s voice trailed off, lost in that memory. 

And you weren’t there was what Ohno wasn’t voicing out loud.

“Probably wouldn’t have been invited if Jun-kun or Aiba-san were.” Nino remarked dryly, it still hurt to say their names out loud. Right after he left, he would get stopped in the streets by fans and he had to pretend smiling that they were all friends and thank you so much for supporting us. 

“Why do you say that?” Ohno asked curious. 

“We didn’t part in good terms.” Nino didn’t really want to elaborate, it didn’t take much to make him remember the fights they had when Jun and Aiba confronted him about quitting Johnny without letting him know.  
Ohno made a noise that Nino couldn’t figure out. 

“What?” 

“Well, I think the ones that kept talking the most about wishing you were at the party were Jun, Toma and Aiba.” Ohno closed his eyes and sank lower on the couch. 

Leaving Nino to his thoughts. 

The clerk knocked on the door at a quarter to 4am to tell them that their times was up. He was closing and the trains would be starting soon anyway. 

Nino woke up Ohno who groggily followed Nino like a sleepy child, holding Nino’s hand without complaint as the other guided him toward the train station. They sat on the cold bench in front of the station while the attendants hurried to open. 

“Do you need train money?” Nino asked after moment, he would probably need to hit an ATM if he did but Ohno slipped his hand into his jean pocket and showed Nino his train pass. 

“Can I borrow your phone?” Ohno asked after a moment. 

Nino took it out of his pocket and checked the battery before handing it over. 

Ohno took so long figuring out how to navigate it that Nino made a move to take it back.

“I’m not done!” Ohno warned hiding the phone against his chest while his other hand pushed Nino away to keep him to take the phone back.

“You are very subtle.” Nino commented when Ohno finally gave him his phone back with a proud look on his face. 

“Don’t you dare change your number now.” Ohno answered instead as the sun started to brighten the sky behind them. 

They walked towards the station when they saw a few people trickling in. But they both were heading in different direction. 

It felt anticlimactic, nodding to each other before each took a different staircase. 

Nino shoved his hands in his coat’s pocket. 

If he was honest, he was not expecting to see Ohno Satoshi anywhere else than on the cover of the magazines he now had to file. 

*-*-*

The first text message was a mess. Nino actually deleted it thinking it had been sent by error since he didn’t recognize the number.  
He wished that he could step on his pride and call. 

Nino stopped in his track, there were so many people he wished he could talk to. But it had been his own fault. He had stopped calling them and changed his number so often, thinking that he didn’t need anyone else to be happy. 

If he had Yuki’s number he would make joke about Ohno and what an airhead he still was. Yuki was working in the advertising agency and he was the one Nino had kept in touch the longest when Sho stopped returning his calls. But after Nino lost his first job, he just couldn’t handle all the looks of pity. 

His cellphone pinged with a new text message. Nino glanced at it and stared in disbelief at the unknown number showing a photo of a highly recognizable Ohno despite the bandana across his face holding a fish.

“Sushi <3” read the message that came with the photo. 

Nino laughed at the way Ohno was standing on the boat. 

“U still owe me.” Nino texted back. 

*-*-*

Nino was crouched low trying to clean the lowest shelf. It was much easier to do this during the nightshift when there wasn't anyone. He had to move four times so far because of customers trying to go through the narrow aisle.

He was hearing excited little shrieks and excited chatter from the school girls at the front. Nino had no idea what was happening, probably Tenji who giving them free lollipops in hopes of getting a date. The girls were probably too flustered to realise the candy was from last year Halloween.

Footsteps came closer and something soft but heavy dropped on the sealed box at his feet. It was a beige envelop, fat with money. He starred at it confused.

He heard the schoolgirls say it before he dared to look up.

"It's Matsujun!"

"It's him!"

"He's so handsome!! I can't believe it!"

"Matsujun is here!!"

And indeed it was, with the expensive leather shoes and the least practical velvet coat, stylish coiffed hair that defied gravity with the help of an entire bottle of spray and sunglasses that cost at least a month or two of rent. 

Nino stood up, hating that he was reminded that he had lost his height advantage over Jun, he was the one that had to look up now.  
Nino didn’t make a move to touch the envelop, letting his arms fall to his side.

"What's that?" Nino gave a jerky nod towards the money.

"Money." Jun answered going toe to toe with Nino with a confidence that had grown with the years.

"I don't want charity, Matsumoto-san." Nino spit out, he hated this and he hated how he felt.

"It's not charity. It’s your uchiwa money." Jun said with a smirk, taking off his sunglasses, the girls squeaked in the background.

"What?" Nino was a bit lost, the only merchandise that could possibly be in circulation was when fans cleaned up their childhood room and sold their once treasured items to Mandarake. 

"Yeah, Toma and I did a fan event last week and we put MAIN uchiwa we got from one of the warehouse in the shop." Jun looked too proud of himself.

"That's the entire money from it?" Nino was skeptical, it was thick enough to have at least 100 000 yen in it. 

"Nope. One fourth. I would have given it all since I am that generous, but I also know you, you’d insist on only getting your share. You can ask Toma if you don't believe me." 

Nino's eyes flickered back to the envelop.

"Your manager said that you shift is ending at 4?" Jun took out his cellphone and looked expectantly at Nino.

"Yes." Nino made a face, he didn't want to answer too much, not with the group of girls behind them.

"Good," Jun typed a few things before putting his phone away.

"It’s good to see you.” Jun said suddenly watching Nino grimace at that. “No, really. I don’t know what happened in your life since you left or what went through your mind but for me...well. It’s really good to see you."

"In my 7-Eleven uniform?" Nino asked but not as venomously as he thought it would sound like. He was shocked at how genuine Jun sounded. 

"Please... You wore way worse than that. Remember the see through vinyl shirts?" Jun shivered in disgust as he put his sunglasses back on. 

He leaned down and picked up the envelop. He held it out to Nino and when Nino hesitated, Jun slipped in his apron's pocket. 

And like the diva he was, Jun strutted out of the store with the throng of girls following him.

Nino hurried to the back of the store, trying to get his thoughts in order. His manager slip in a few moments later. 

“Excuse me, Ninomiya-san?” 

“I’m very sorry if there was any disturbances.” Nino apologized, trying to figure out how to explain without actually explaining. 

“You’re not involved in anything illegal, are you?” The manager asked, eyes narrowing on him.

“No sir, just sold some music instruments.” Nino answered with a half-truth, he did, just not recently and not to Jun. He sold all of them months ago, even the ones he swore he never would. 

“Then, stay here until the end of your shift.” The manager instructed, probably trying to avoid a situation. He didn’t look like he was believing Nino but it was what he wanted in that moment. 

He kept busy with cleaning the back room, when he put his jacket on, Nino looked around to make sure the girls had left. He quickly slipped out of the store, not bothering to bow at his busy coworkers.

He walked towards the grocery store, it was cheaper than the one next to his place. He might just as well stock up on a few things to help him last the week. 

He noticed the large black van but didn’t think of it much until it started to match his pace. He stopped and waited for the window to roll down. Maybe it was someone who was lost and they would leave him alone after this. 

It was someone but Nino never expected to actually know them.

“Ninomiya-san! Get in!” 

It was like being transported in time.

“Kazama?” Nino asked bewildered, what was he doing here?

“Get in! Please, before I get a ticket for driving so slow.” 

Nino acted by reflect more than anything else, he didn’t think that Kazama was a serial killer. Last time he checked his formers Juniors’ current activities after drinking too much one night, he had seen that Kazama was a voice actor and possibly still with the agency. 

“What’s going on?” He asked as Kazama quickly drove through. 

“I’m just following Matsumoto-san’s order.”Kazama answered with the same cheeky smile he had when he had been 15. 

“Since when? What are you doing?”

“Well, it’s not kidnaping if you got in the car from your own will, right?”

“Kazapon, what’s going on? Is it a like a Johnny’s intervention? Help out a former Johnny from miserable times?” Nino asked, the old nickname slipping in before he even noticed it. 

“Well, sort of?”

Nino glared at him. 

“Well, it’s not an intervention… it’s a job interview, actually.”

“I don’t want anyone pity. What’s with you? Matsujun who walks in with envelop full of cash like a Yakuza and you acting like a manager.”

“It’s not pity. It’s us doing something for you that you would be doing if positions were reversed.”

Nino let the words sink in. 

“Who is we?” He asked instead of pointing out that he wouldn’t help if their position were reversed. Saying it just to be sarcastic was wrong, Kazama had been a friend.

“You’ll see. It’s nothing bad.” Kazama promised but Nino wasn’t if he could. 

In their 25 minutes car ride, Nino learned that Kazama was still with Johnny’s but he was a debuted actor like Jun and Toma were. He had several voice actor contracts but he had a few movies in the works that he was really excited about. He even played a high schooler recently despite the fact that he was over 30. 

He was also now married to a woman he had been dating since he turned 20.

Kazama dropped him off in front of an agency, sending a text first before handing off his business card with his personal number. 

“Give me a call when you have a chance.” Kazama proposed with ease, sounding like a proper adult. It took Nino a moment to remember that they were born in the same year, on the same day.

He thanked Kazama and walked towards the entrance of the building. He hesitated before going to the receptionist, he wasn’t sure how to approach since he had no idea who he was meeting. 

“Nino!” 

Nino knew that voice. Kohara Yuki looked the same as he had 3 years ago when they last saw each other. Yuki jogged to where he was and handed him a visitor’s badge. 

“I already signed you in our visitor’s log.” Yuki said, as if they had seen each other last week instead of being years. 

“What’s happening?” Nino asked, trying to sound casual. 

“You have an appointment with the director of the new up and coming advertising agency that everyone in Tokyo has been talking about.” 

“And I’m dressed like this why?” Nino bristled, gesturing his 7-Eleven uniform that was jarring with everyone else in the hallway that were in suits. 

“He’s seen you in worse.” Yuki laughed it off, echoing Jun’s words from earlier. 

“That’s it. I’m going home.” Nino said turning around. 

“Wait. Nino!” Yuki quickly reached his side and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Just hear the pitch, okay?”

Yuki opened a closet door and after a moment he pulled out a black suit vest. 

“And here, just wear this vest, no one will pay much attention to you, I promise.” 

Nino didn’t look convinced.

“Five minutes of your time. And I will pay your taxi home no matter what you say.” 

Nino took out his phone and pull his countdown app and putting on 5 minutes. He showed it to Yuki before starting the countdown by pressing on the button on his screen.

Yuki smiled and ushered him inside. Some staff members looked up briefly but they all looked away immediately. Nino slowed his pace when he nearer the board room and recognized the sole occupant by their slopping shoulders.

“I’ll be in the office next door.” Yuki winked and gave Nino a push to go in. 

Nino cleared his throat and was rewarded by Sho giving him his best idol smile. 

“Nino! I’m so glad you could make it. Come in, please sit here.” Sho stood up to walk Nino to a nice leather chair. There was a bunch of brochure arranged at the seat. 

“How are you? Would you like anything? Coffee or tea?” Sho’s questions came one right after the other that Nino wasn’t sure which one to answer first. 

“I’m good. I’m only here for four minutes and 6 seconds.” Nino said pointedly putting his cellphone up so Sho could see the countdown.  
Sho’s smile faltered but he seemed determined. He took the chair next to Nino and flickered one of the brochure open. 

“We have a position that we now have the funds to open. We’re looking for a marketing consultant for our musical projects. Someone who knows enough about music and the idol world to assist when dealing with jingles and adverts. It’s a full time position, with benefits. Our business has been increasing considerably and multimedia ads are our biggest challenges.” Sho flickered through the pages of the company’s brochures before handing Nino the job description. 

It was everything that Nino had wanted to do since he was last fired and was searching through job ads day and night. 

But he was so terribly unqualified for it. He closed the folder and slid it towards Sho. 

“I’m sorry.” Nino barely managed to say. The entire situation was just ludicrous after all. Being chauffeured by people he had known in his teens to be presented with his adult self’s dream job. Maybe not too long ago, he would have been confident enough to fake it but not anymore.

“Would you mind telling me why?” Sho said keeping his cool but Nino could hear the disappointment in his voice. Nino watched Sho reaching out to cancel the countdown on his phone. 

“I’m not qualified for it. What you are describing… I can’t do this.” Nino knew he wasn’t going to stay for long at 7–Eleven but this was reaching too high. 

“We wouldn’t be offering if we didn’t you were qualified for it.” Sho pointed out, pulling from his paperwork a copy of Nino’s resume. It was a few years old, Nino had sent it to apply at a position at an acquaintance of Yuki’s but never heard back from the company. 

“I don’t need help.” Nino argued back, hating this for what it was; an offer of charity to the former friend who didn’t succeed at life as well as the rest of them. 

Sho starred at him, loss for words. 

They heard noises behind them in the corridor. 

“Did he say yes yet? Can’t I go in?” 

Nino froze as he recognized Aiba’s excited voice. Of course, just to round off his day. Nino didn’t know if he was to expect the grim reaper tonight.

“Aiba-san, give us a minute please.” Sho pleaded, with far more patience towards Aiba at 32 then he had ever shown when they were younger. Aiba still walked in the room. 

“But he said yes. You said yes, right?” Aiba said turning towards Nino, expectantly.

“Aiba, just give us a minute.” Sho stood from his chair to push Aiba out of the room but Aiba moved out of Sho’s grasp. 

“But, why?” Aiba’s smile vanish from his face and Nino still got the kick in his guts from making Aiba sad. 

“Did you tell him that the job is perfect for him? Maybe you explained it wrong. Did you tell him all the perks? And the studio time?” Aiba went on, as if it had been Sho’s fault that Nino was saying no. 

“It’s his decision.” Sho reminded Aiba. 

“But…” Aiba stared at Nino with his brown eyes tearing up. 

“Don’t cry.” Nino ordered to Aiba, falling back on his habits. 

“I’m not.” Came the petulant reply. 

“Aiba-san.” Nino was loss for words at Aiba who held himself too straight, arms limp at his side. 

“It’s not what you think. I actually tried to track you down a while back when I started the agency but your mother said that you weren’t speaking. She told me a little of what happened.” Sho explained, wringing his hands together. 

“All the time that we started this company, we kept saying “Nino would be amazing at this!” like creating jingles and slogan.” Aiba interrupted. 

“It’s not charity, it’s… it’s what we spoke of once. Remember, after we quit? When we met during one of my study break and we were talking about what we were good at. You helped create this agency. When Aiba heard from Jun that Ohno had seen you, we needed to act. It wouldn’t have mattered that you are working at a 7-Eleven or a prestigious company, we would still have offered you the job.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Please think about it.” Sho walked over to the desk and took the large brochure with a post-it that had NINO scrawled on it. Sho held it out for Nino to take. 

“I will think about it.” Nino said quietly. He had the sudden urge to get out of there. 

“Wait!” Aiba said, panic evident in his voice. 

Nino paused at the doorway, he twisted around to see Aiba coming closer with a business card in his hands.

“Please take this and let me know how you’re doing. I miss my Sobusen buddy.”

Nino’s resolve was crumpling here and there. He took the card, letting his fingers brushed against Aiba’s. 

“Even if you don’t take the job, you are welcome here any time.” Sho meant every word, Nino could hear it in his voice.

*-*-*

“Take the job.” Ohno texted that night.

Nino received a picture from an unknown number an hour later. It was a picture of Matsujun, Aiba and Toma from a party, probably the one that Ohno mentioned. He wondered why he was getting this photo now and just what it supposed to mean. 

When he starred at it the following morning before he left for work, he took in the restrained smiles on all of their faces and the way Toma was holding his arm at an awkward angle. As if Toma was holding an invisible person.

His phone beeped with a text message.

“You’re insane if you think you’re less qualified than me.-AIBA” 

*-*-*

Nino gave his notice to his district manager who didn’t exactly sound surprised. He thanked him for the opportunity and promised to complete the shifts he had been scheduled for to the manager’s relief. 

This meant three more night shifts. 

His last one was, coincidentally with Komura. 

“Congrats on the new job.” Komura told him when Nino mentioned it at the start of his shift. There was a little bit of warmth in Komura’s voice, they barely knew each other. But it was no one’s goal to stay and work all of their lives in a konbini, or most people’s goal. Nino had teased Ohno when the other one confessed that he had moments where he had wanted to quit V6 to work in one. 

The shift was going on well, better than some others since it was quiet but there was no drama so far. 

One more hour to go. 

Komura had been extremely nice and asked him to hold the cash while he would replenish the aisle. Nino knew it was more so that he could text hidden by the blind spot of the camera but he still appreciated not lifting anything for his last night. 

The automatic door swooshed up and not one but four people stumbled in. 

They were all various degree of inebriated, Sho being the least and Ohno being the worse while Aiba and Jun were somewhat in between. 

“Guten Morgen!” Jun called out loudly to the almost deserted 7-Eleven. He started fiddling with the sunglasses stand, picking them up and trying them one after the other. 

Nino let his head bang against the counter twice before looking up at Komura’s jaw dropping wide open, coming up from the aisle when he heard several customers come in.

“They were in a club opening and called me to chauffeur them somewhere, I only realised when I saw the sign. Sorry.” Sho looked properly annoyed but still had a fond look whilst Ohno started patting his cheeks. 

“Wait… what’s going on?” Komura looked confused, he kept glancing back and forth between the five.

“This… this is my friend. Well, our friend and he’s coming to work for us because we’re totally friends and it’s going to be more awesome than before because no one will be telling us to do backflips!” Aiba babbled, grabbing Nino’s shoulder from over the counter. 

“I’m sorry, they’re idiots and they’re drunk. Please don’t take any pictures, it’s not worth it.” Nino called out to the couple that have moved to the front when they heard them. 

“Wait, you’re the guy in V6! Didn’t you come here like two weeks ago? My girlfriend loves you!” Komura said, rudely pointing a finger towards Ohno. 

“I love Nino.” Ohno slurred instead walking around the counter to hug him. 

Nino starred at the ceiling in defeat.

“What’s going on?” Komura, sounding a little bit nervous. 

“No pictures, please.” Sho said, walking in front of the girl who starred at him with wide eyes.

“Wait… weren’t you Johnny’s?” The girl asked pointing at all of them one after the other. 

“Isn’t that the Hanadan guy?” Her boyfriend asked, not sounding as impressed as her. 

“No, all of them. Like… weren’t you Johnny’s juniors on TV? The show with the gymnastics and the marathon and the quizzes?” She stared at Nino hard, like his name was just on the tip of her tongue and she was frustrated she couldn’t remember it on the spot.

“Hold on, what?” Komura turned to look at Nino, looking far too betrayed for someone who barely was their co-worker. It didn’t help that Ohno had plastered himself against Nino and that Jun was taking a dozen of pictures while Aiba giggled next to him. 

“I’m sorry, Komura-san?” Sho, as ever the adult in those situation, “Would it be possible for Ninomiya-san to finish his shift earlier? Of course, his paycheck would reflect only what he worked.”

“Hey!” Nino tried not to sound too offended, he knew of Sho’s mother-hen ways but it felt odd to be told what to do. 

Komura nodded and Nino hurried to take his cash case. He counted as quickly as he could and was only relieved when it balanced it out. He flagged Komura to watch him make the deposit, Komura waited by the employee until Nino came out wearing his own shirt and leaving his uniform in the open locker. 

“You could have helped me score brownie points with my girlfriend.” Komura accused as Nino handed him his keys. 

“I really couldn’t have.” Nino said, laughing a little. He knew that Komura was thinking he was laughing at him but he really wasn’t. 

Only Jun was still inside, waiting for him. He scribbled an autograph on a magazine with his face on it and handed it to Komura before grabbing Nino by the shoulders and dragging him outside. 

The other three were waiting outside as Sho was finishing his cigarette. 

“Do you imagine what would have happened if Oh-chan had walked in a Lawson or a FamilyMart instead?” Jun asked out loud as they walked to the car. 

“Don’t say that!” Aiba yelped throwing himself on Nino, throwing his arms around his neck like he was expecting Nino to disappear. Nino tried to wrestle him away and only succeed when his fingers found one of Aiba’s weak spot underneath his armpits. Sho opened the car’s doors for them before taking the driving seat. 

Jun took the passenger side seat while the other two pulled Nino in the back with them. They made him take the middle seat which he hated but it was a free ride so he wouldn’t complain too much. 

Jun’s words stayed with him, it wasn’t hard since he had been having the same recurring thought since Ohno walked back into his life but Nino just couldn’t stop. He starred at the passing scenery while Aiba and Ohno slowly fell asleep on each side of him. His eyes met Sho’s in the rear view mirror, Sho smiled and Nino couldn’t help the ghost of a smile that was appearing on his face. 

“Doesn’t this feel right?” Sho asked quietly to Nino. 

Nino made a non-committal noise, looking back at the passing shops while Sho drove. 

“Look, you might it’s a coincidence that Ohno walked into that store.” Sho began, stopping to maneuver the car into the highway.

“It was fate!” Jun suddenly shouted from his slumber, Nino was sure he had been asleep as well. 

“Be it as it may. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I’m really glad it happened.” Sho said, making the point of meeting Nino’s eyes briefly in the mirror again to show how serious he was. 

“But why? Why are you all glad?” Nino couldn’t help but asking. 

Nino felt Aiba’s hold on his wrist tighten but he had to say it. 

“Not that I am not grateful but we met when we were kids and we haven’t seen each other in ages. Can you really you missed me?” 

The silence was heavy in the car. Nino was trying not to regret speaking out loud. After all, they were friends from when they were teenagers but how many friends from school did Nino still have?

“Yes.” Aiba’s quiet reply broke something in Nino. With Yuki, Aiba had been one of his closest friend in the agency in and out. They had stayed at each other’s house and spent long hours sitting next to each in tour bus, in the train or in practice. Aiba had been one of the person Nino had hoped to stay friends with after his resignation and always regretted the way they fought.

“Look, what’s done is done. But, Nino.” Jun turned to face Nino, “You’re stuck with us now.”

“I guess I will have to endure.” Nino sighed dramatically, just to relieve some of the tension had built up. He twisted his hand so he could properly hold Aiba’s hand and shifted just a little so Ohno’s head fit better against his shoulder. Jun shot him an amused that told Nino he could see right through him. 

Nino knew things couldn’t magically healed and they would have to adjust to knowing each other as adult after over a decade spent apart. 

But coincidence or fate, sitting here in the backseat, surrounded with four people who showed him they were adamant in being in his life, Nino was just glad to have this second chance with them. 

Even if they were all idiots.


End file.
